This Bollywood star to appear in Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium on December 13 for Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour, his name is…

Bollywood star and Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan on Thursday announced that he will attend Lionel Messi's GOAT Tour at Salt Lake Stadium.

Bollywood star and Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan on Thursday announced that he will attend Lionel Messi’s GOAT Tour at Salt Lake Stadium, which is set to begin in Kolkata on December 13.

“This time round not planning my Knight in Kolkata…. and hoping the day Ride is completely ‘Messi’. See you guys on the 13th at the Salt Lake Stadium,” Shah Rukh posted on X.

Argentine footballer Lionel Messi will kick off his 4-city GOAT Tour in Kolkata

Argentine footballer Lionel Messi will kick off his 4-city GOAT Tour in Kolkata on December 13, and will travel to Hyderabad later the same day. He will then visit Mumbai on December 14, before concluding the much-awaited tour in Delhi on December 15, where he is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the Kolkata leg, Messi’s “biggest ever statue”, a 70-foot structure, will be unveiled virtually from his team hotel due to security reasons, according to PTI. “Police has not given permission so he will do it from the hotel. It will be done virtually in the morning,” a Kolkata Police source said as per PTI.

This time round not planning my Knight in Kolkata…. and hoping the day Ride is completely ‘Messi’.
See you guys on the 13th at the Salt Lake Stadium.

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) December 11, 2025

Lionel Messi will arrive in the city at 1:30 am early Saturday

Originally, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner was set to visit Sreebhumi in person for the statue unveiling. Kolkata Police sources confirmed that Messi will arrive in the city at 1:30 am early Saturday and will stay at a five-star hotel on the EM Bypass.

What are the special plans for the event?

A special sponsor-only meet-and-greet will take place from 9:30 am to 10:30 am. Alongside, there will be an Argentine, Indian fusion food festival, celebrating Messi’s fondness for ‘mate’ (Argentine herbal tea).

The festival will feature Argentine herbal tea blended with Assam flavors, a variety of Bengali fish dishes including hilsa, and a selection of local sweets. Additionally, a 25ft by 20ft Messi mural, planned for the next Durga Puja, will be revealed.

“Not only will he unveil his biggest-ever statue, we will have a huge mural, which will be kept at strategic Durga Puja pandal-hopping locations so that all his fans will have an opportunity to paint and post messages in a nearby message box,” organizer Satadru Dutta said to PTI.

The mural will be shown to Messi at Salt Lake Stadium during the Kolkata stop of the tour

The mural will be shown to Messi at Salt Lake Stadium during the Kolkata stop of the tour. Over 70,000 people are expected to attend the Kolkata event. “75,000 seats are open for spectators. There is heavy demand and we have made counter sales open from Tuesday,” Dutta said. After the meet-and-greet, Messi will proceed to Salt Lake Stadium before departing for Hyderabad at 2 pm.